Loose-leaf binder



Patented Dec. 12, 1939 i PATENT o FFicE f LOOSE-LEAF 'BINDER y clarence'D. Trusseii, Poughkeepsie, N. Y., assignor to Trussell ManufacturingCompany, Pough- -y keepsie, N. Y., a corporation of Newl YorkApplication November 16, 1938, Serial No'. 240,655

2. Claims.

The? invention disclosed herein relates to binders of th'e'type in'whichthe binder rings are in the form of cooperating prongs `carried byspring tensioned `toggle plates. f f

Special" objects of the invention are to' enable qui'ckandeasyclosingfof such bindersv and the securing ,of-the binder in theposition to which itis operated. Further, to provide lsuch securingmeans in,a form which may be readily released when desiredto Voperatethe binder in the reverse relation'.v f p v f l Other .objects are v.tollighten the weight, simplify and reduce theoost and to promote smootheasy operationof the binder. y, f

. The foregoing and other'desirable objects are attained in the presentinvention byA the novel features of construction, combinations andrelations ofgparts Vhereinafter described, illustrated intheaccompanying drawing and covered .in the claims.

The drawing accompanying and forming part of the specificationillustrates one practical comfil) inercial embodiment of lthe invention.rThe structure however may be modified and changed as regards thepresent illustrationy all within the true intent of the invention, asbroadly defined in the claims.

lig. 1 Lis a broken and part sectional plan view of the ring metal.

Fig. 2 is an end view, illustrating the lower end in Fig. 1. y

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional View on substantially the plane of line 3`3of Fig. k1. i

Fig. 4 is a side View With part of thelspring cover plate brokenavvayandv in longitudinal section.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged broken sectional detail v as onk line 5 5, Fig. 2,showing the latch parts engaged, and Fig. 6 is a similar viewillustrating the latch released.

The ring metal forming the subject vof theltionship by a spring coverplate I2, provided with downturned confining flanges I3, I4. Thecoverplate is notched` in its opposite edges at I5, to provide freeclearance for the ring forming prongs.

To insure smooth easy toggle action, the outer edges ofthe togglefplatesare notched at opposite edges of the ring f ,orrning'prongs as indicatedat I6," in register with the slots I5, in the cover plate. This notchingof the edges of the plates in addition v,to assuring free clearance forthe ,Y prongs, segregates the intermediate edge por- /5 tions I'I,between the notches which then act as a seriesof llongitudinally spacedseparate inde--r pendent bearings, 'rocking in the rsidechannels behindthe confining flangesof the coverplate.

vTo enable` quick,y easyand positive ring opening and ring closingmovements, opp-ositely acting finger levers are provided at the oppositeends of the ring metal. One pair of opposed finger levers designated-I8, project straight up from the toggle plates at one endl of thebinder, to serve, .when pinched togethento rock the plates in a ringclosing direction and the other pair of finger levers I9, projectingfrom the plates in crossed relation at the opposite end of the binder,serve when pinched together to rock the plates in a ring closingdirection.

Some means are desirably provided for securstantially as indicated inFig. 2. kAlso these cooperating locking shoulders are so disposed that Ahave been squeezed together, sufficiently to bring the ring formingprongs together in firm engagement. Engaged thus under tension, thelocking shoulders of the opening levers are held so and will not shakeloose or accidently release the toggle plates.

While the locking means described isl positive and secure in its holdingaction, it may neverrtheless be quickly and easily released by a simplethey will engage only after the' closing levers I8,

rotative or twisting pressure on the levers I9 in the direction of thearrows, Fig. 6, which will tend to spring one away from the other, thusto relatively shift the companion shoulders into fully separatedcondition, where the levers may then be freely actuated to effectopening of the rings. The levers therefore'preferably are made of springmaterial or have sufficient spring action to permit yielding of oneinrespect to the other as the outwardly projecting lug on one slides overthe face of the other into engagement in back of the locking shoulderand to permit the necessary twisting action for effecting release of thecompanion locking elements. For such reasons, the opening levers may bemade ofharder spring material, and be attached to the ends of the toggleplates by spot Welding or thelike, in the manner indicated at 22, inFig. 4.

What is claimed is:

l. A loose-leaf binder, comprising toggle plates engaging on a commontoggle center, said plates being mounted for rocking movementandcarrying cooperating ring forming elements, linger levers projectingeach from a plate at one side ci the toggle center to the opposite sideof said toggle center in crossed overlapping relation and having ngergrips at the ends of the same spaced in the closed position of the ringforming elements so that the plates may be rocked to the open ringposition by pinching said spaced finger grip ends of the crossed fingerlevers toward each other, the crossing portions of said finger levershaving abrupt locking shoulders located intermediate the finger gripends and the points of attachment of said levers to the plates anddisposed to register in the position of said levers in the ring closedposition of the toggle plates, one of said locking shoulders beingoffset from the general plane of the lever` carrying the same into theplane of the locking shoulder on the other lever to thereby stand inopposition thereto in the closed condition of the rings and said fingerlevers being sufficiently yieldable to enable clearance of one lockingshoulder from the other being effected by relative twisting movementapplied to the finger grip ends of the levers as a preliminary to thepinching action required to impart ring opening movement to the toggleplates.

2. A loose-leaf binder, comprising toggle plates engaging on a commontoggle center, said plates being mounted for rocking movement andcarrying cooperating ring forming elements, iinger levers projectingeach from a plate at one side of the toggle center to the opposite sideof said toggle center in crossed overlapping relation and having fingergrips at the ends of the same spaced in the closed position of the ringforming elements so that the plates may be rocked to the open ringposition byv pinching said spaced finger grip ends of the crossed fingerlevers toward each other, the crossing portions of said nger levershaving abrupt locking shoulders located intermediate the iinger gripends and the points of attachment of said levers to the plates anddisposed to register in the position of said levers in the ring closedposition of the toggle plates, one of said locking shoulders beingoffset from the general plane of the lever carrying the same into theplane of the locking shoulder on the other lever to thereby stand inopposition thereto in the closed condition of the rings and said fingerlevers being suiciently yieldable to enable clearance of one lockingshoulder from the other being eected by relative twisting movementapplied to the nger grip ends of the levers as a preliminary to thepinching action required to impart ring opening movement to the toggleplates, said finger levers being of substantially at sheet material Withthe crossed portions in oversliding relation and said oiset lockingshoulder being provided by an integral lug portion struck out of thesheet material of the lever carrying the same.

' CLARENCE D. TRUSSELL.

